I Will Not Bow
by Goddess of the Books
Summary: Months of fighting have led to this. I should be happy, I'm not. I have to build an army, and to do that I must be able to pay for one. I cannot harm my people like Logan did, but I must raise the money. There is an answer, whether I like it or not. The answer comes in the form of evil. Reaver.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I remember reading a book the day I met him. It detailed my mother's adventures, and I loved it. I was in the garden that day, basking in the pale morning light. I was alone for once, the way I liked to be. I disliked the useless prattle that many of the nobles insisted upon.

"Such a lovely face to be hidden behind a book." I leaped at the sound of his voice. It was a silky baritone, and reminded me of velvet. The owner of that voice matched it perfectly. He was tall and breathtakingly handsome, with dark eyes, angular features, and a strong jaw line. His hair was dark and expertly tousled while still managing to look formal. He wore a white coat with black lining and an exceptionally tall top hat. I looked him over quickly before meeting his eyes.

"If you're here just to flatter me, don't. I'm not in the mood for such things." My tone was sharp and I spoke honestly. I was tired of men fawning over me simply because I was the Princess. I had not the time for such nuisances, and I was quick to let each of them know. My brother often chastised me for rejecting them so quickly, telling me that I would eventually have to marry. I always pointed out the eventually in his sentence and he would shrug, a helpless smile creeping onto his face. He hated the attention just as must as I.

"Such a cold response! Surely you don't intend to push everyone away like this..." I felt a blush warm my cheeks at his words, as thoughts of Elliot crossed my mind. I certainly didn't push him away. I watched as the man smiled, and I once again found myself admiring him. I looked away from him and my eyes moved to my mother's statue.

"Why are you here?" I asked coldly, his eyes meeting my fiery grey ones. I had always liked my eyes, simply because they weren't normal. Most people's eyes were blue or green or brown, but mine were a pale grey with flecks of gold. Walter said they were just like my mother's. I wouldn't know though, she died just after I was born. Mere minutes after I was born, or so I'm told. He took on a hurt appearance, though it was obviously fake.

"I merely wanted to meet the notorious Princess. I am your brother's new business partner, Reaver." I nodded quaintly, giving him a small smile for the sake of being well mannered. I met his eyes and found myself faced once more with a surprising depth.

"Pleasure to meet you Mister Reaver. My name is Katarina." I extended my hand for him to shake it, and could not help the blush that followed when he brought it to his lips. His lips lingered on my skin for longer than was strictly necessary, and his eyes never left mine. He finally let go of my hand and I hastily returned it to my lap. His lips curves up in a dangerous smirk and I cannot deny the shiver that went down my spine as he looked at me.

"I'll ah, be going now." I said, flustered. He nodded slightly in acknowledgement of my words before I looked away. I grabbed my book and stood hastily, rushing inside. I thought that might be the last I saw of him, but I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

**Sorry for the short chapter! I have high hopes for this story, and am quite excited about it! I have not dropped any of my others for this one though, so do not fear if you happen to be fond of them. Thanks for reading!**

**Goddess out.**


	2. Uneasy Dealings

**Chapter 1**

**Uneasy Dealings**

My coronation went over smoothly, and I found myself being forced into a corset. I recall hearing of a party celebrating my coronation, but I do not recall the name of the person hosting it. Sarah, my royal clothing advisor who I secretly resent suggested I wear my court attire. I politely refused. I am hoping she quits before next week.

Now I am being laced into a tight corset that restricts my breathing and makes me both unhappy and uncomfortable. After being talking into wearing a dress, I seem to have lost my choice about which one it was going to be. The corset was worn under the dress, which, though I hate to admit it, is gorgeous. It is dark purple and made from a fine silk. It is strapless and unlike some of the dresses I have seen, comes up high enough to be considered quite modest. It is rather tight around the middle but loose and flowing past my waist. It is pinched and pinned in places, giving it pattern and texture, and it covers my feet. Despite my height it is only the heels I was conned into wearing that keep it from being too long. It has sparkles rimming the upper edge of the dress and the height is even from front to back.

Once she gets the dress situated she starts on my hair and make-up. She brushes my hair thoroughly and pins it up in a loose bun. A few strands of hair tumble from the elegant up-do and I am impressed. The make-up is minimal but there, with a light purple around my silvery eyes and my full lips a shade darker than normal, contrasting my tan skin. My hair is a deep brown, chocolate brown by Sarah's description, and fits with my darker appearance. Unlike my brother my skin is tan from the countless hours spent under the sun. My eyes are normally rimmed with kohl, and I take great pride in my appearance. As long as it's comfortable.

"Hurry Ma'am. Master Reaver is expecting you to be there promptly" Hobson says, walking into the room. That stops me cold. They're kidding. I refuse to attend any party of Reaver's! I turn to them, my mouth opening to start telling them to cancel the plans but he grabs my wrist and drags me to a carriage with an unusual amount of strength for such a small man. I practically fall into the carriage and only Walter stops me from tumbling onto the floor of it. Hobson hands me my crown and shuts the door.

"Such respect for their Queen." I say sarcastically. Walter laughs and I sit up straight, placing my crown atop my head. It isn't the court crown, but a delicate gold crown adorned with tiny gemstones. I adore it, and vastly prefer it to my bulky court crown.

"Did you know Reaver was hosting it?" I turn to Walter, accusation in my voice. He holds his hands up in the universal sign of mercy and I sigh, flopping back against the seat. The steady clopping noise of the horses soothes me and I soon relax.

"Ben Finn and Page will also be there. Perhaps amongst the four of us we can manage to have some amount of fun." Walter says in a less than enthusiastic tone. I sigh heavily and frown. I doubt it.

Soon enough we pull up to the great mansion that is Reaver's estate. I glare at it darkly, but force a smile as the door to the carriage is opened. I step out, followed by Walter and wave at the nobles. I truly dislike dealing with them, but I need their wealth to begin preparations for the upcoming war. Today I had decisions to make, and I only hope that I have pleased the people. I admit that I managed to accumulate an impressive amount of gold over my travels, around 500,000 by my estimation. I put it all into the treasury and kept the current level of taxation. I am rather unhappy to admit that I allowed child labor, but the money was irrefutable. My biggest decision yet though, was my decision to spare Logan.

I grew up with Logan, and he and I were admittedly very close. He was my big brother and the person closest to me for the first seventeen years of my life. Then something changed. He wasn't the same man as before. I could not kill him though, no matter what he had done. He is my brother, and family means a great deal to me. Lastly, I agreed to rebuild Bowerstone Old Quarter, which was an extremely popular move. Overall, my people seem to be pleased with me, and this gives me hope. At this point, I have 850,000 in the treasury. I need so much more.

The nobles all smile and point at me, as though I am some god. They do not even seem to understand that I am as human as they are. I may be a Hero, but I am also a woman, and do not appreciate being treated like an animal on display. I enter the mansion and my eyes are drawn to the center of it all. Reaver. He stands elegantly in the middle of the room, entertaining guests with that haughty smirk of his. His ridiculously tall hat sits proudly atop his head, and he wears his white coat rimmed with black fur, as per usual. I have to admit, no matter how much I dislike him, that he is a very attractive man.

As if sensing my thoughts his eyes meet mine and his smirk, if possible, widens. He excuses himself and saunters over to me, a champagne glass in his hand. He stands before me and eyes me with unabashed lust, seeing far more skin than my usual, extremely modest clothing allows. The dress hugs my curves in all the right ways and he studies each one before meeting my eyes once more. I cannot help the grimace that makes its way onto my face and he pouts.

"Oh surely you haven't come just to pout my dear! Please, enjoy yourself! We're supposed to be celebrating you." His words have a double meaning as his eyes once again rake my form. No matter how attractive he may be, I will never feel anything for him. I have to look up ever so slightly to meet his eyes, which is incredibly rare as I happen to be exceptionally tall. I tower over most people, but Reaver is easily taller than me. A part of me resents him for it. If he weren't so tall he would be far easier to ignore.

"I would be much happier if you celebrated elsewhere." I say, venom in my tone. He smirks once more and I fight the urge to hit him and wipe the smirk off his face.

"Such cruelty in your words! You wound me!" His words are sickeningly fake and I swear he does it just to agitate me. Knowing him he probably does. He takes a sip of his champagne and I scowl.

"I have considered doing just that." He chuckles at this and I once again have to fight to restrain myself. I must not hit Reaver.

"Such a shame. You know, I heard about your little predicament. There's a war coming, yes? You know, I admit, I do enjoy personal gain, and I prefer to keep my factories intact. Workers also tend to be more useful when they're alive. Perhaps, if you were to behave a bit better, I might be convinced to part with some of my money in order to protect what I value most." His words are carefully chosen, leaving no room to wonder if perhaps he would donate out of charity. He definitely wants something, the only question being what. I fight to keep from grimacing once more and fake a smile.

"Really. And what exactly do you want?" I ask through clenched teeth. His lewd look at me makes me cringe but even money only gets him so much. He should know that. He stops, seeming to ponder the question.

"Well my dear, I want many things..." He looks at me once more and as I am about to shut him down he continues speaking. "But what I want in return for the funding is far more business related. Talk to me later. This is something we must discuss privately." He walks away, leaving me sputtering and stumbling over words. A man walks over to me carrying a tray of various alcoholic beverages, and I take an undoubtedly expensive glass of champagne. I down it in a single gulp and hand him the glass. I take another and he bows slightly before leaving. I spot Ben off to the side of the room and approach him. He is dressed up for the evening and he looks quite nice. He sees me and offers me his signature lopsided grin, making me smile.

"Rina my dear! You look gorgeous!" I blush slightly at his words and smile. I hug him tightly before stepping back and taking a sip of champagne. It takes a lot to get me drunk. I'm a Hero after all.

"You don't look to bad yourself." I say with a smile. Page walks up as well, and I have to admit, she looks even less happy to be here than me. She's talking to Walter at the moment, so I offer her a quick smile and wave before I continue talking to Ben.

"Reaver mentioned some sort of deal, but refuses to tell me what he wants in return. He has offered his financial support, and before you ask, what he wants is business related. He has asked me to speak with him privately about it." Creases appear on Ben's forehead as I tell him the news, and he frowns. He looks at me with begging eyes.

"We can raise the money without him. Just ignore Reaver." I shake my head at his words, as much as I want them to be true. I sigh heavily, feeling older than I am. I may be young physically, but I am far older mentally. I guess leading a rebellion against your older brother does that. I take a sip of champagne.

"Ben, I hate to admit it but when it comes to money, Reaver knows what he's doing. I won't accept any outrageous terms, but if a deal can be made I will make it. It is for the good of the county, no matter how much I hate him." Ben sighs again. He knows.

"Now excuse me, I'm afraid I must go socialize." I say goodbye to Ben and wander around the room, a smile painted on my face. I go from noble to noble discussing topics of varying import. Some of the nobles are surprisingly level headed. Others are less so. There seems to be a great deal more of the latter. I continue to drink, hoping to take the edge off my discomfort.

Several women try and introduce me to their sons, and handsome young men approach me with honeyed words and smiles. Some are decidedly more attractive than others, but none of them really catch my eye. Not that it matters overly, as I do not need a husband presently.

All of a sudden music begins to play and a dance starts up. I put my drink down and am pulled into the arms of a man and turn to find that man to be Ben Finn. I laugh, grateful that he saved me from dancing with a stranger. He gives me a teasing smile and winks.

"You owe me one." He says as we dance. I laugh, and for a little while being here isn't so bad. Ben isn't the most graceful, but he isn't a bad dancer. Growing up a Princess, I learned much about poise and elegance. After years of practice I am a good dancer, though it's been awhile since last I danced. The tempo of the music increases, and the dance changes. I am pulled from his arms and go from partner to partner in a dizzying dance. It is fast paced and upbeat, until I land in the strong arms of a certain dark-haired man.

Just then the music changes, and he pulls me close. The height difference is far more noticeable now, as Reaver is a solid three inches taller than me. Four inches without the shoes that I am suddenly grateful for. He presses me against him as we dance, and his eyes meet mine. There is a fire within his eyes and I am instantly weary of him. His eyes are beautiful and dark, and I meet them boldly. He turns and adjusts our position so that I am flush against him, and I allow him to see the challenge in my eyes. I am not afraid of him.

He chuckles and I feel the vibrations in his chest. I am ashamed to say that as I breathe in, a notice just how good he smells. He smells of aftershave and cologne, and the smell of vanilla clings to him faintly. It is a masculine smell, and I hate that I like it. He leans down and murmurs quietly in my ear.

"I do hope that I am the cause of that lovely blush on your face." My traitorous body betrays me as my blush deepens, painting my cheeks crimson. We dance and I cannot help but notice how good he is at it. It seems effortless and every move he makes is smooth and fluid. I am reminded once more of just how evil he is as the hand on my back slips lower, brushing my bum before moving to the side. One hand remains on my shoulder while the other now touches my hip. His fingers massage the muscle there, and I am angered by his boldness. I am the Queen of Albion, has he no respect?

"Stop that!" I hiss under my breath. I glare at him just as the song ends. He smirks before stepping back and leaning down, kissing my hand. I pull my hand away, and quickly head towards Walter. I need to calm down. I pick up my champagne and down it before collapsing into a chair beside Walter. I cross my arms and pout, like I used to do when I was a child.

"You know, I hate to admit it but Reaver is a talented dancer." I shoot him a glare and he falls silent. I heave a sigh before standing and continuing my niceties with the nobles. Several of them have promised to contribute, and they all seem to want to be in my good graces. It may be annoying, but it is incredibly useful to attend these parties.

The party eventually dies down and Reaver shoots me a look. His eyes beckon me to follow him and I excuse myself, making my way through the crowd. I follow Reaver up a flight of stairs and through a door, finding myself in a large room. It's beautiful, I'll admit that much. It's lavishly decorated with dark colors and paintings of Reaver.

"What do you want Reaver?" I turn on him just as he closes the door. He sighs dramatically before approaching a cabinet. He pulls out two glasses and a bottle of brandy, offering me some. I accept, and sip at the drink. It should make this deal easier to handle.

"Now my dear, my offer is this. 200,000 gold" I am about to interrupt him when he continues. "A month." My eyes widen and my jaw very nearly drops. That's over two million gold total. Two million four hundred thousand to be exact. He must be joking. Then again, he runs the largest industrial corporation, and manages many factories. He is rich, but this is incredible.

"In return I want full access to the treasury records at any time, and you must attend my parties. After the war is over I want you to compensate for half of what I have given you. There is a five year time limit on that. I want my home and factories to have special protection during the war and lastly, I want a room in the castle, that I might overlook the finances of it at all times. I have built my company over many years, I will not see it destroyed in some war." His terms are surprisingly agreeable. None of them are particularly outrageous, given the offer he just proposed. I may not enjoy his parties, but it does bring in a bit of extra gold. It won't be too hard to get him a room in the castle, as there are several to spare. I won't like having him there, but if it cannot be helped then I can manage. I find it rather odd that he says many years, given that he is so young, but I do not question it.

"I accept your terms." I say smoothly. A smile crosses his face, although it really seems more like an elongated smirk. Reaver is a dangerous man. Of that I have no doubt. I offer my hand to him to seal the deal with a handshake, but he brings it to his lips instead. I shiver slightly and my face is undoubtedly pink by now. I pull away once more and am grateful when he doesn't pursue.

I walk out to the main hall where Walter is waiting and together he and I leave the estate. I explain the deal I made with Reaver and even he cannot deny that it is a good deal. We get in the carriage and he thinks for a moment.

"You should keep an eye on him Rina, He no doubt has ulterior motives for wanting to be in the castle." I have already thought about this and firmly agree with Walter. Reaver is many things, but honest isn't one of them. I nod in agreement.

"Definitely. If I know Reaver then he has a plan he isn't telling us." A long silence ensues after that, because we both know that it's true. I only hope I don't end up on the wrong end of his gun. I may be a Hero, but even I'm not fast enough to dodge that.

**And that concludes chapter one of my new story! Hello my fabulous readers, I hope you enjoyed this. Katarina is an interesting character, no? She goes by Rina almost all the time and is a fiery little thing. She is actually quite kind though, which you will find out next chapter. I hope you have enjoyed this and keep on reading! I aim to please.**

**Goddess out.**


	3. A Delicate Matter

**Chapter 2**

**A Delicate Matter**

I hear a knock at the door to my study and frown. I look up from my book and call for them to enter. A servant walks in, bowing before she speaks.

"Master Reaver has arrived and has asked for you." I groan and she leaves hastily. I'm pretty sure that my staff is terrified of me. I stand up, closing my book and walk towards the door. I head to the entry hall and see that Reaver is waiting for me. His possessions were brought here earlier by some of his servants and were taken to his room. The only thing missing up until now was him. I rather wish it could have stayed like that.

"Greetings Reaver." I say formally. I'm wearing my simple princess outfit and my hair is in a high pony tail. It's long and falls to the middle of my back, though a few strands have escaped it and frame my face. I walk down the stairs and start to extend my hand but stop, remembering the last couple times I tried that. My hand remains by my side and he smirks, having noticed my unease.

"It really is a lovely castle, but not as lovely as it's Queen." He eyes me and I sigh heavily. I shake my head at him and look him in the eye.

"Your advances are getting you nowhere, and I ask that you refrain from such a frivolous manner of speaking while you are here." My tone is not sharp, but tired. I have had a lot to deal with as of late, and I am scrambling for money. I have heard of a demon door in Sunset House that is said to contain some gold, but I don't know if it will be enough. I can't imagine that it has enough to suit my needs. In fact, I am quite sure it doesn't.

"My dear you look so tired! Perhaps I could help with that..." He trails off and I turn around. I try not to let my agitation be as evident as it would normally be.

"I'll lead you to your room." I say, walking away irritably. I head up the stairs and towards my own room before opening a door, revealing a richly decorated guest room containing Reaver's belongings. He walks in and I stand at the door. My room is not far from this one, and I desperately hope I won't regret that.

"If you need anything ask a servant. If they can't help you ask me." I leave, heading towards my own room. I close the door and flop down onto the bed, overcome with exhaustion. I am asleep within minutes.

When I wake up, I realize that I forgot to ask Reaver about his first donation. I groan and stand up before brushing my hair and walking to his room. It's late afternoon and I feel quite refreshed. I knock on the door and about to leave when he bids me to enter.

I open the door to find him lounging on couch wearing pants, only pants. His coat is hung carefully on the bedpost and his shirt is lying on the desk. I feel myself blush as I take in the sight before me. He is well formed and muscular, with smooth, unblemished skin and defined muscles. His abs, I hate to admit, are incredible and he stands, making his muscles move beneath his perfect skin. A thin line of dark hair trails down into his pants and I try not to stare. I meet his eyes and watch as he smirks deviously. The bastard planned this. I'll not give him the satisfaction of the desired effect though.

"Reaver, when will I be receiving the first donation?" I ask, forcing my voice to remain even. He seems to have expected me to behave as I have, and I hate him even more for that. I try not to let my eyes move down his body but it's hard. I didn't expect this.

"It's already been added to the treasury." He replies smoothly. When he is focused on business, I admit that he becomes quite serious. His work seems to be the only thing of value to him at times. That and admiring women.

"Thank you." I say curtly before turning an leaving his room. As I'm leaving I feel a hand on my shoulder and I pale. He turns me to look at him, having moved much closer in order to stop me.

"Stay my dear! I'd be a poor house guest if I didn't offer you a drink or something to repay you for allowing me to stay." From someone else I would have nodded and agreed quickly. Except from Reaver I knew better than to think he is doing this just to be nice. Reaver doesn't do things just to be nice. He all but drags me back into his room and sits me down on the couch. He grabs a fine white shirt and throws it on, though he doesn't button it so I can see quite bit of his body. He grabs two glasses and a fine brandy from a cabinet. He has obviously made himself quite at home. I cross my legs as he sits, scooting away from him slightly. I accept the drink gratefully and take a sip. I can just finish the drink and leave.

"Silence doesn't become you my dear, your voice is far to lovely." I hold back a groan and sit in silence. I don't want to deal with Reaver right now, but I can't politely leave. I consider being impolite but I know that doing such things will only make it that much harder to deal with him later.

"Why are you here? You have a nice estate in Millfields and yet you want to stay here. Why?" It wasn't the most tactful way to say it, but I suppose it gets my point across. He swirls the contents of his glass before thoughtfully responding.

"Well my dear, you aren't nearly as experienced as your brother with finances. I am sure you have other talents" He pauses, letting his words sink in. "but I thought you might need help managing the finances of the kingdom. If you don't manage them correctly, then we will die. I simply cannot have that. I have come too far to simply be killed or have my property destroyed." I suppose it makes sense, and what he said is simply a more in depth version of what he told me before.

I nod, deep in thought and take another sip. It has a strong flavor and I quite enjoy it. Brandy, wine, and rum are generally my favorite alcoholic drinks. I am also quite fond of champagne though, and rarely turn it down. Reaver talks animatedly for awhile, throwing in some innuendos here and there. I focus on the flavor of the brandy, and idly wonder what Reaver would taste like if I were to kiss him after drinking it. I realize just what I was thinking and nearly choke. I cough and splutter , horrified.

Suddenly he's by my side, patting my back firmly while I cough up the brandy. The smell of aftershave, cologne, and vanilla linger still, mixed with the smell of the brandy. As he sits by my side I try to remember how cruel he is. He is cruel. He is cruel. He may be attractive and smell amazing, but he is still evil. Very evil. I finally stop coughing and look over at him realizing just how close he's gotten. His dark eyes meet mine and I see the hunger there. It's been years since I met him and he hasn't aged a day. How does he do that? I stand, excusing myself before practically running out the door, leaving the brandy on his desk. I retreat into my room and summon Sarah.

"Court attire." I say breathlessly. Nothing calms me down like boredom. If I recall I have to rule on the fate of Aurora. I get dressed up in my elegant but incredibly heavy court attire. I changed the colors, going with dark red and purple, just like my brother. He and I are alike when it comes to our taste in clothing. We both enjoy particular color schemes, and don't like lace or frills. We both dislike wearing thick, heavy clothes when we don't have to, but we both admire the way they look. I miss Logan, and intend to visit him soon.

Sarah finishes with her preparations and then I set to work o brushing my hair. I put it up in a bun before grabbing my crown off its pedestal. I set it on my head just as Hobson knocks on my door.

"My Queen, your presence is required to rule on the decor of the castle." I nod and stand. I will definitely be bored. I walk towards the throne room and prepare to enter. There will be cheers, there always are. I walk in and the cheering immediately starts, just as I knew it would. I sit on the throne and watch as two people are escorted in. There is a man dressed in pale colors, and a woman dressed in dark colors. The man talks about good decor, while the woman talks about evil. As they talk, a tall man steps into the room, joining the crowd. I know it's him as soon as he enters, and I sit up a tad straighter.

He isn't wearing his hat, which is strange, though now he is less noticeable. His eyes meet mine and there is a dare there. Images of his bare torso and eyes work their way into my mind. I find myself thinking about the little heart by his eye, and then his strong jaw line. My thoughts work their way down to his lips which are inviting and often pulled into a smirk. I try to refocus, but when he isn't acting like the evil man he really is, it's easy to forget. I pull my eyes away from him just as I am asked to decide. Despite my goodly nature, I cannot help but like the darker colors and themes. I don't want to intimidate the people, but then again, this is my home.

"I choose the darker decor. Court dismissed." I stand and leave as the people disperse. I have a few hours until I have to rule on the status of Aurora, so I will try and relax until then. I walk towards the library and open the door. I absent mindedly wander over to the fantasy section, glancing over them. There is this one in particular that I enjoy, and I debate picking it up. I decide not to, and pick up an old favorite. It is about my mother and her travels. There is one companion of hers that is only briefly mentioned that I cannot help but wonder about, though I can find no record of him anywhere.

I look down at the book as I make my way back to my room. I collide with something hard and fall, bringing it down with me. I look down at it and am shocked to discover that it is a he, and he is Reaver. I'm lying atop him, book still in my hand. I blush horribly and stand hastily.

"Well, that isn't the approach I would have taken, but it works none the less. Though if you wanted to be on top you could have just asked." I stutter for a moment as he stands up, chuckling.

"You... you pig! I fell! I want nothing from you!" I say, my emotion taking the form of anger. I glare at him in anger before turning on my heel and storming off. I can practically feel his smirk, and I enter my room. I close the door and collapse on my bed for the second time today. I want to scream with frustration, and decide that I need to leave the castle. I draw upon my Will and teleport to the Sanctuary, taking Jasper by surprise. I don't say anything but head to the clothing room. I change into my practical princess outfit. I return to the main room and look over at my dog, who is lying in his bed.

"Do you want to come Leo?" I ask. He stands and wags his tail. I name him Leonidas after the fearsome king from a book I once read. Leonidas was a brilliant fighter and a strong king from an imaginary land. He was killed in battle, and though it was sad, it was fitting that he die in battle defending his home.

I look down at the map and focus on Brightwall. I teleport to the outskirts of town and smile, enjoying the feel of the cool, fresh air. It's pleasant, and for a moment I can just forget about my troubles. I walk to the town and am showered with gifts. I accept them graciously, and head straight to where I know he'll be. Ben told me he was going to visit Brightwall to get away for a bit, and I need to talk to him. He and I are extremely close, and he understands me quite well. Not as well as Logan, but Logan asked that I give him a few months to be alone. He promised me he'd be ok, and I promised that I would not disturb him. I head to the tavern and find Ben, like I knew he would. He stands and hugs me, and I cannot help but smile.

"Rina! What are you doing here?" He offers me his signature grin and I laugh. Few others can make me smile so effortlessly. I look around and ensure that we aren't overheard and lean closer to him.

"I need to talk to you, it's important." He nods and I take his hand, leading him from the tavern and away from prying eyes. I take him to a small pond that I often visit, and drop his hand, turning to look at him.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" I sit down, looking out over the water. He sits beside me and I sigh. I look at him, and all the weight from before comes crashing down on me. I can handle confrontation, or physical disputes. Internal problems on the other hand, are the most likely to bring me down.

"What if I were to, er, care for someone. And that someone wasn't exactly... well, isn't exactly the best person." Ben listens intently, serious because he knows I need him to be. I am thankful for him every time he does something like this. He's become like a brother to me, and I a sister to him. My affections lie elsewhere, and he is infatuated with Page, so there is no tension, no edge to our friendship. I am grateful for that as well.

"As long as he isn't an absolute scumbag or Reaver, it's fine." He replies. Well that does nothing for my mood. I take a deep breath.

"Well Reaver is staying at the castle and I can't deny he's attractive and he's a really good dancer and we had a drink after Iwalkedinonhimshirtless and he wasn't as bad as he normally is, But then I accidently fell on top of him and he was infuriating but then again it's just-" It all comes out in a rush, and I watch as Ben's eyes widen as he takes in what I'm saying.

"You what?! You're kidding! No way. I'm not that drunk Rina." I shoot him a glare and he just shakes his head. "Girl, you are the most confusing woman I have ever met. You had to go and develop feelings for the most wretched bastard in Albion, and then afterwards you realize he's a complete jerk." He rants for a moment before stopping suddenly, his eyes wide.

"Wait, he's staying at the castle? You walked in on what?" If it wasn't such a serious situation I would be in hysterics at the expression on his face. It's somewhere between shock and utter disbelief. I blush, and hate that I don't know how to deal with this. Growing up, there was only Eliot. Sure, I liked him but everything was simple. Now I'm the Queen and I'm supposed to be defending Albion but I have a mild attraction to the enemy of the kingdom, essentially. Why the heck must everything be so complicated.

"Because we made a deal. He donates two hundred thousand gold every month, and I do several things for him. He wants to keep an eye on the finances, and before you say anything, I know that he probably has ulterior motives. And I wanted to ask him about the first donation and he bid me to enter and I did and then I... well, he was..." I trail off as the image resurfaces in my mind. I cannot help the shiver that races down my spine at the thought, and I know he would be laughing if he could see me now. I groan in agitation and look at Ben. He just shakes his head.

"Look, just avoid him for a couple of days. Maybe this little crush will go away." He sounds tired and I feel bad for troubling him. I give him a hug and stand before helping him to his feet.

"Thanks Ben. I'd love to stay but I have to go. Queen stuff, you know?" He nods and with a final smile I teleport to the Sanctuary. I change back into my court attire and place my crown atop my head. Ben's idea was good, and it shouldn't be too hard. I'm busy as it is, I should be able to avoid Reaver. Piece of cake.

I return to the throne room and sit on the throne, listening to the cheers. Kalin and Reaver are escorted in, and I do not dare look at Reaver. I keep my eyes fixed either on Kalin or the crowd. I wait for them to fall silent, and then listen to each side plead their case. Kalin asks that I keep my promise to Aurora and help them rebuild. It would cost seven hundred gold, and after I earned all my money from my various real estate purchases over the last week, I deposited the earnings in the treasury. I have around 1,250,000 in there at the moment, and that's not nearly enough. Reaver suggests that I break my promise, and reopen the mine. It would earn me 500,00 gold, but I cannot betray the people who saved my life like that. Kalin was good to me, and I must return that favor.

"Aurora will be rebuilt." I say loudly, internally cringing at the substantial drop in money. Reaver's eyes meet mine and I can see the disapproval there. Kalin thanks me and I rise from my throne. The crowd disperses, and all save Reaver and Kalin leave.

"My Queen, my people should like to hear the news from you. Perhaps you can accompany me to Aurora?" Kalin is kind, and I would be happy to accompany her. I also like Aurora, because it is far more than it appears to be. I nod.

"Of course Kalin, I'd be happy to." I give her a genuine smile that she returns. Though I have taken a substantial financial hit, I can recover it over time. I also intend to check out Sunset manor.

"I should like to go as well. My company will of course be assisting in the rebuilding of Aurora, so I would like to know what it is that I'm funding." Reaver speaks up, and I swear my heart stopped. I nod almost imperceptibly and try not to give away anything.

"Of course." I say, as though it makes perfect sense. I'll have to be on a ship. With Reaver. Oh my. This will be interesting.

**Hehe, what do you think? I like where this is going. Will our tough but tender hearted heroin manage to ignore the incredibly handsome Reaver? I know I wouldn't. Ah, Aurora, that was actually one of my favorite places in the game. Thanks for reading.**

**Goddess out.**


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